Written for the Fairest of the Rare 2020 Secret Santa Drabble exchange.

The prompts I used were:
Song: 'Bad Liar' by Imagine Dragons,
Quote: "Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future."
Trope: First Date

Thanks to my alpha TakingFlight48 for her advice and encouragement!

Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this creation.

Daphne wasn't ready for the day to end, not when the walk back to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade was the only thing separating them from an unhappy, unwanted future. But as the sun had started to go down and the cold of December in Scotland had settled into their bones, there really hadn't been a choice and they slowly made their way toward the winding road that would lead them back to the castle.

It had been a perfect day, one she never thought could have been possible. Her parents had always insisted dating was pointless when they would be the ones to decide her future and, ever the dutiful daughter, she had complied with their wishes. She had never considered a date with a person of her own choosing, especially not a woman. But it didn't take a fool to see that Pansy always went after what she wanted, even when it was ill-advised.

"Father's been pushing me to sign the contract with the Pucey's over the holidays…"

Pansy scrunched her nose in a display of disdain, but her eyes held the hurt she refused to express. "Daph, you can't-"

"Don't! You know it's expected. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"Just let me take you to Hogsmeade, tomorrow, one time," Pansy pleaded, desperation on her usually stoic face.

Daphne had been repressing her feelings for the woman at her side for so long, it seemed ludicrous to give in when they both knew it was too late. But Pansy never begged, and Daphne couldn't dream of refusing her. Now, she doubted she could let her go.

She didn't protest as Pansy's hand slid into hers and tugged her slightly off the beaten path into a wooded area. Away from prying eyes, Pansy pulled her close and wrapped both arms around Daphne's slender waist.

"What are we doing, Pansy?" Daphne asked softly, her cheek pressed against the other witch's chest. The steady beat of Pansy's heart in her ear made her calm and she sighed loudly.

"I was given the impression we were saying goodbye," Pansy answered coldly, though her words held very little bite and her arms squeezed a little tighter.

"What if I don't want to, anymore," she whispered. If she could feel this way after a single day, didn't she owe it to both of them to give this a real shot? "Can I keep you?"

The puff of Pansy's breath into her hair sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm already yours. If you want me, none of them can take you from me," Pansy vowed.

Daphne chuckled mirthlessly. "You're a terrible liar, Pans."

Pansy hummed noncommittally and buried her face into Daphne's scarf, breathing deeply.

"What happens when you refuse to sign?" She mumbled into the fabric.

"I honestly don't know." Daphne thought back to everything they had lived through in the past year. The world had been torn apart around them, they had been forced to reconsider everything they had ever been taught. What was it all for if this new life had exactly the same set of expectations as the last? She knew it would likely be a terrible scandal; her family certainly wouldn't make it easy on her. Something like courage crept up from inside her, pushing her forward, overtaking the instinct to quietly settle back into the place they had carved out for her. "I'm not sure I care what they say. It's my life, after all."

Pansy froze in her arms and shifted back to stare her in the eyes.

"They might disown you," she said seriously, her eyes growing wide. "Surely, I'm not worth all that."

Daphne slipped her hands around Pansy's neck, pulling her closer into a painfully innocent kiss that warmed away the winter chill. She could hardly help the smile that pulled at her lips as she noted the lovely blush rising on Pansy's cheeks.

"Trust me, darling. You're worth all that and more."